Factor Analysis of the Transpersonal Appreciation Scale as Studied in Adult Residents of the United States

Transpersonal appreciation is an emotion characterized by gratitude extending beyond an interpersonal relationship. It may be experienced with a known benefactor (e.g., a deity or person) or, more existentially, without a specific benefactor as the object of appreciation. Several tools to measure appreciation exist, though none efficiently assess transpersonal appreciation across heterogeneous groups (e.g., spiritual and secular). Objective: This research describes the development of a novel Transpersonal Appreciation Scale(TAS) for use in diverse groups. Methods: An exploratory factor analysis with 324 U.S. participants reduced an initial item pool of 36 items to 10, revealing a preliminary two-factor structure (General Appreciation and Spiritual Appreciation) which accounted for 71% of the total variance. A follow-up study with 317 U.S. participants used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to evaluate the proposed two-factor model and test measurement invariance across groups defined by current religious affiliation. Results: The CFA results demonstrated good fit (robust CFI = 0.983) and strong internal consistency for the General Appreciation (α =0.860) and Spiritual Appreciation (α = 0.901) subscales. Convergent validity for subscale scores was supported by positive correlations between General scores and Adler and Fagley’s Appreciation Scale and between Spiritual scores and the Gratitude to God Scale (r = 0.763), while discriminant validity evidence was supported by negative correlations with negative affect as measured by PANAS (General: r = -0.697; Spiritual: r = -0.535). Conclusion: These findings provide initial evidence that Transpersonal Appreciation Scale scores have equivalent internal structure and factor loadings across religious groups.